North Schleswig Germans
Encyclopedia
Approximately 15,000 http://www.nordschleswig.dk/SEEEMS/417.asp persons in Denmark
belong to an ethnic German
minority traditionally referred to as hjemmetyskere meaning "domestic Germans" in Danish
, and as Nordschleswiger in German
. This minority of Germans hold Danish citizenship
and self-identify as ethnic Germans. They continue to use German and South Jutlandic as their home language
s. Furthermore there are also several thousand German citizens residing in Denmark with no historical connection to this group.
, two Schleswig Plebiscites
were held in the Prussian Province of Schleswig-Holstein
, the former Duchy of Schleswig. The plebiscites were held in two zones that were defined by Denmark according to the ideas of the Danish historian Hans Victor Clausen. The northern Zone I was dimensioned as far towards the South as possible, therefore changing the Clausen-Line southerly from Tondern instead of northerly, and had to vote en bloc, i.e. as a unit with the majority deciding, while in the following smaller central Zone II each municipality
was to decide its own allegiance, this procedure allowing Denmark to gain further territory and put the frontier further southwards according to eventual majorities in northern municipalities.
The voters of the central zone voted to remain within the Weimar Republic
. The northern zone voted to come to Denmark, which had controlled the territory prior to the Prussian-Danish War of 1864. No vote took place in the southern zone of Schleswig. So Schleswig was divided between Germany and Denmark.
In the northern part 25% of the population, i.e. around 40,000 people were ethnic German
population, having their centres in the cities of Tønder
, Aabenraa
, Sønderborg
and Haderslev
, but also in the district between Tønder and Flensburg near the new border. The city Haderslev was in fact an ethnic enclave
at the time of the Plebiscites, whereas Tønder with a vaste German majority of almost 80%, Aabenraa and Sønderborg also with German majorities laid in the southern district of the zone near the new border.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
belong to an ethnic German
Ethnic German
Ethnic Germans historically also ), also collectively referred to as the German diaspora, refers to people who are of German ethnicity. Many are not born in Europe or in the modern-day state of Germany or hold German citizenship...
minority traditionally referred to as hjemmetyskere meaning "domestic Germans" in Danish
Danish language
Danish is a North Germanic language spoken by around six million people, principally in the country of Denmark. It is also spoken by 50,000 Germans of Danish ethnicity in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where it holds the status of minority language...
, and as Nordschleswiger in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
. This minority of Germans hold Danish citizenship
Citizenship
Citizenship is the state of being a citizen of a particular social, political, national, or human resource community. Citizenship status, under social contract theory, carries with it both rights and responsibilities...
and self-identify as ethnic Germans. They continue to use German and South Jutlandic as their home language
Home language
Following a widely accepted definition by Valdes , a heritage language is a language that is acquired by individuals raised in homes where the dominant language of the region, such as English in the United States, is not spoken or not exclusively spoken...
s. Furthermore there are also several thousand German citizens residing in Denmark with no historical connection to this group.
History
In 1920, in the aftermath of World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, two Schleswig Plebiscites
Schleswig Plebiscites
The Schleswig Plebiscites were two plebiscites, organized according to section XII, articles 109 to 114 of the Treaty of Versailles of June 28, 1919, in order to determine the future border between Denmark and Germany through the former duchy of Schleswig...
were held in the Prussian Province of Schleswig-Holstein
Province of Schleswig-Holstein
The Province of Schleswig-Holstein was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1868 to 1946. It was created from the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein, which had been conquered by Prussia and the Austrian Empire from Denmark in the Second War of Schleswig in 1864...
, the former Duchy of Schleswig. The plebiscites were held in two zones that were defined by Denmark according to the ideas of the Danish historian Hans Victor Clausen. The northern Zone I was dimensioned as far towards the South as possible, therefore changing the Clausen-Line southerly from Tondern instead of northerly, and had to vote en bloc, i.e. as a unit with the majority deciding, while in the following smaller central Zone II each municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
was to decide its own allegiance, this procedure allowing Denmark to gain further territory and put the frontier further southwards according to eventual majorities in northern municipalities.
The voters of the central zone voted to remain within the Weimar Republic
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic is the name given by historians to the parliamentary republic established in 1919 in Germany to replace the imperial form of government...
. The northern zone voted to come to Denmark, which had controlled the territory prior to the Prussian-Danish War of 1864. No vote took place in the southern zone of Schleswig. So Schleswig was divided between Germany and Denmark.
In the northern part 25% of the population, i.e. around 40,000 people were ethnic German
Ethnic German
Ethnic Germans historically also ), also collectively referred to as the German diaspora, refers to people who are of German ethnicity. Many are not born in Europe or in the modern-day state of Germany or hold German citizenship...
population, having their centres in the cities of Tønder
Tønder
Tønder is a municipality in Region of Southern Denmark on the Jutland peninsula in south Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 1,278 km², and has a total population of 40,367...
, Aabenraa
Aabenraa
The city of Aabenraa or Åbenrå , with a population of 15,760 , is situated at the head of the Aabenraa Fjord, an arm of the Little Belt, in Denmark, 38 miles north of the town of Schleswig. Its name originally meant "open beach"...
, Sønderborg
Sønderborg
Sønderborg Municipality , is a municipality in Region of Southern Denmark partially on the Jutland peninsula and partially on the island of Als in south Denmark, at the border with Germany. The municipality covers an area of , and has a total population of 76,236...
and Haderslev
Haderslev
Haderslev is a town and municipality on the east coast of the Jutland peninsula in south Denmark. Also included is the island of Årø as well as several other smaller islands in the Little Belt. The municipality covers and has a population of 56,414 . Its mayor is Jens Christian Gjesing,...
, but also in the district between Tønder and Flensburg near the new border. The city Haderslev was in fact an ethnic enclave
Ethnic enclave
An ethnic enclave is an ethnic community which retains some cultural distinction from a larger, surrounding area, it may be a neighborhood, an area or an administrative division based on ethnic groups. Sometimes an entire city may have such a feel. Usually the enclave revolves around businesses...
at the time of the Plebiscites, whereas Tønder with a vaste German majority of almost 80%, Aabenraa and Sønderborg also with German majorities laid in the southern district of the zone near the new border.